Tablets are undeniably the new hotness, but no matter how hot the product, some debates don’t die. The debate in question: whether a soft keyboard as on a tablet touchscreen can ever be a proper tactile replacement for the oomph of a physical keyboard. Physical keys is a big reason why Blackberries and Android phones still sell… so it’s only natural that the same people who just need something physical to type on when it comes to the smartphone form factor would feel just the same way when it comes to a tablet.

Enter French Company AlphaUI with their Back-Type, a device designed to connect to the back side of a tablet. It contains 24 separate keys, which can be customized. According to AlphaUI, they’re confident that people can get so good entering text with these that they’ll be rattling out 250 characters per minute in now time.

We’ll take your word for it, AlphaUI, but none the less, we’re a little perplexed. How do you type with two less keys than there are letters in the Roman alphabet? And considering the fact that the Back-Type will only fit onto the back of a tablet measuring between five and seven inches, AlphaUI really seems to be betting that the form factor of 7-inch tablets like the Galaxy Tab will ultimately trump the 10-inchers like the iPad. That’s a pretty ballsy bet right there.

No price or release date, unfortunately, but word has it that the Back-Type will make a show at next year’s CES. We’re eager to take it for a spin then.